A meeting of the Constitutional Commission was held under the chairmanship of President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov in Ashgabat. The Constitutional Commission was established in accordance with the Decree of the President of Turkmenistan in May last year with the view to promote the constitutional reform and bring the Basic Law of the Turkmen state incompliance with international standards and modern requirements.
The meeting agenda included the analysis of the work done during the past period with the aim to modernize the Basic Law, summarize preliminary information and reports and discuss the goals to be achieved in this sphere.
Those speaking during the meeting emphasized that political and public organisations of the country took an active part in solving the tasks set to the Constitutional Commission through holding special meetings and conferences with the aim to improve constitutional norms and organizing explanatory and awareness-raising and outreach activities among citizens, including through the mass media. Among these activities are meetings and roundtable discussions held at enterprises and institutions with the aim to explain the content and importance of reforming the Basic Law, which reflect the interests of civil society and generally recognized platform for its existence.
The large-scale work was held to collect, analyse and summarize the proposals on the improvement of the Constitution that were received from activists of public organisations, citizens, specialists in different sectors and experts.
In particular, the proposals concern such important issues as the implementation of the science and technology policy of the Turkmen state and international cooperation in this field, the further development of a multiparty system and equality of public associations before the law and strengthening of the constitutional guarantees of freedom of thought and expression.
It was noted that within the framework of the work done by the commission on summarizing the incoming proposals on amending the Constitution that was established under the Mejlis of Turkmenistan, specialists of the Ministry of Justice (Adalat) conducted a comparative analysis of the key provisions of constitutions of different countries studying international practices in this sphere. Particular attention was also paid to the harmonization of the national legislation with international legal standards related to the system of state power and government, judicial power and public prosecutor’s offices.
It was noted that specialists of the Turkmen National Institute of Democracy and Human Rights under the President of Turkmenistan had taken an active part in the work of the Working group under the Mejlis. In particular, the proposals of Turkmen citizens on the improvement of the Basic Law were analyzed and relevant work was carried out. Meeting participants also considered the possibility of introducing the post of Plenipotentiary Representative for Human Rights. In this regard, the practices of a number of countries in this field were studied. The existing articles of the Constitution were analyzed and the proposals for their improvement in accordance with international legal norms were prepared.
Speaking during the meeting, Chairperson of Mejlis A. Nurberdyeva focused on a number of articles of the Constitution, which require amendments and additions in accordance with the proposals received. In particular, it was proposed to include the provision on extending the term of office of the President of Turkmenistan from five to seven years in the draft Constitution (Article 52) in order to ensure the successful implementation of ambitious long-term programmes.
The priority objectives of the constitutional reform also include the necessity to improve its Section III that provides the constitutional legal framework for the system of state power and government of Turkmenistan and specifies the authorities, rights and duties of the President of Turkmenistan, the Cabinet of Ministers, the judiciary and local authorities. In this regard, the Chairperson of Mejlis presented the proposals of the work commission on the introduction of new articles and a number of amendments and additions to the existing articles of the Constitution. Among them are the proposal for the removal of a maximum age requirement for the performance of duties of the head of the state and secure of additional rights of the President of Turkmenistan.
It was noted that these changes were based on a number of incoming proposals in order to clearly define the rights, duties and authorities of legislative, executive and judicial authorities and to ensure that they work in compliance with the principles of independence, fairness, openness and transparency and modern requirements. It was emphasized that these proposals were preliminary, and the work commission would continue to consider them. The President of Turkmenistan commented on the reports of the members of the Constitutional Commission and delivered a keynote speech focusing on the priority aims and objectives of the reform of the Basic Law of Turkmenistan.
Those speaking during the meeting emphasized that political and public organisations of the country took an active part in solving the tasks set to the Constitutional Commission through holding special meetings and conferences with the aim to improve constitutional norms and organizing explanatory and awareness-raising and outreach activities among citizens, including through the mass media. Among these activities are meetings and roundtable discussions held at enterprises and institutions with the aim to explain the content and importance of reforming the Basic Law, which reflect the interests of civil society and generally recognized platform for its existence.
The large-scale work was held to collect, analyse and summarize the proposals on the improvement of the Constitution that were received from activists of public organisations, citizens, specialists in different sectors and experts.
In particular, the proposals concern such important issues as the implementation of the science and technology policy of the Turkmen state and international cooperation in this field, the further development of a multiparty system and equality of public associations before the law and strengthening of the constitutional guarantees of freedom of thought and expression.
It was noted that within the framework of the work done by the commission on summarizing the incoming proposals on amending the Constitution that was established under the Mejlis of Turkmenistan, specialists of the Ministry of Justice (Adalat) conducted a comparative analysis of the key provisions of constitutions of different countries studying international practices in this sphere. Particular attention was also paid to the harmonization of the national legislation with international legal standards related to the system of state power and government, judicial power and public prosecutor’s offices.
It was noted that specialists of the Turkmen National Institute of Democracy and Human Rights under the President of Turkmenistan had taken an active part in the work of the Working group under the Mejlis. In particular, the proposals of Turkmen citizens on the improvement of the Basic Law were analyzed and relevant work was carried out. Meeting participants also considered the possibility of introducing the post of Plenipotentiary Representative for Human Rights. In this regard, the practices of a number of countries in this field were studied. The existing articles of the Constitution were analyzed and the proposals for their improvement in accordance with international legal norms were prepared.
Speaking during the meeting, Chairperson of Mejlis A. Nurberdyeva focused on a number of articles of the Constitution, which require amendments and additions in accordance with the proposals received. In particular, it was proposed to include the provision on extending the term of office of the President of Turkmenistan from five to seven years in the draft Constitution (Article 52) in order to ensure the successful implementation of ambitious long-term programmes.
The priority objectives of the constitutional reform also include the necessity to improve its Section III that provides the constitutional legal framework for the system of state power and government of Turkmenistan and specifies the authorities, rights and duties of the President of Turkmenistan, the Cabinet of Ministers, the judiciary and local authorities. In this regard, the Chairperson of Mejlis presented the proposals of the work commission on the introduction of new articles and a number of amendments and additions to the existing articles of the Constitution. Among them are the proposal for the removal of a maximum age requirement for the performance of duties of the head of the state and secure of additional rights of the President of Turkmenistan.
It was noted that these changes were based on a number of incoming proposals in order to clearly define the rights, duties and authorities of legislative, executive and judicial authorities and to ensure that they work in compliance with the principles of independence, fairness, openness and transparency and modern requirements. It was emphasized that these proposals were preliminary, and the work commission would continue to consider them. The President of Turkmenistan commented on the reports of the members of the Constitutional Commission and delivered a keynote speech focusing on the priority aims and objectives of the reform of the Basic Law of Turkmenistan.